There are all kinds of fun, affordable, and festive ways to decorate a room or an outdoor space for a party or event, ranging from colorful tablecloths and vases of flowers to streamers and music. Don’t forget wholesale balloons, either, which can really round out an event’s decor with ease. Wholesale latex balloons can be filled with either helium or regular air, and foil balloons are filled with helium and can float around while tethered to strings and long ribbons. A person can find all kinds of wholesale balloons at a party supply store, but grocery stores also tend to have wholesale balloons on hand. So, what should someone know about using latex or foil balloons as decor? How are they similar, and different from each other?
Modern Latex Balloons
The idea of latex balloons is actually a very old one, and back in 1824, professor Michael Faraday invented them when he fused together the edges of two rubber sheets and filled the resulting balloon with air. Balloons have been made ever since, though they tend to be made of latex instead of rubber. Why? Making all those balloons out of rubber would put some serious strain on the world’s forests, so instead, latex is used to make them. After all, a latex tree can be harvested for material for nearly 40 years without killing the tree, which makes latex far more sustainable than rubber for making balloons.
Now, a latex balloon ca be filled with either air or helium, and there are reasons to take either route. Air filled balloons are more convenient, since not everyone has a helium pump on hand, but they can easily use their own air pump or even their own breath to blow up those balloons. An air filled balloon will last for a few days, and though it won’t float, it can be taped to surfaces. Meanwhile, a helium filled balloon will certainly float, and these balloons tend to be tethered to strings or long ribbons so they don’t float away. They last for a day or so, and they can be bought already inflated at an event (such as a carnival), or bought in a packet and filled with a helium pump. As a bonus fact, some wholesale balloons are shaped like hearts; these heart shaped latex balloons can make for great Valentine’s Day gifts.
On Foil Balloons
Foil balloons are a more recent invention, and they are also a great way to decorate a room. These balloons are made when two foil sheets are cut into identical shapes, and then their edges are fused together. The balloon can then be filled with helium, and tied to a string or ribbon. Unlike latex balloons, foil balloons can have images printed on them, anything from solid colors to messages like “happy birthday” to trendy pop culture images, making them quite flexible as decorations. As for their shape, foil balloons boast a broader variety of shapes than latex ones, based on how their foil sheets are cut. Some foil balloons are shaped like hearts or circles, while others can be shaped like numbers or letters. Foil balloons can be bought in a packet and then inflated, but it’s also common to find pre-inflated foil balloons for sale at grocery stores.
Where to Use Balloons
When and where should some festive wholesale balloons be used? A good example is a child’s birthday party, such as getting a foil balloon with a “happy birthday” message on it and/or foil balloon shaped like numbers to form the child’s new age. Latex balloons can be tied in bunches if they have helium in them, and air filled balloons can be taped to the walls, tables, or the backs of chairs as convenient decorations. Care should be taken when disposing of balloons, though, to avoid choking hazards.
Not only that, but small bunches of white and/or pink balloons are a great decor choice for a bridal or baby shower (typically indoors), and balloons make good gifts for hospital patients. Often, these are foil balloons with a message such as “get well soon.” At a high school prom, meanwhile, many air filled latex balloons can be used to form archways and other decorations on a budget.